


Lavellan and Solas: Lovers At War

by Millennium_Fae



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Angst and Humor, Asexual Character, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Platonic Romance, chaste romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-28
Updated: 2015-09-28
Packaged: 2018-04-30 21:31:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,727
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5180486
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Millennium_Fae/pseuds/Millennium_Fae
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set after the events of Trespasser. Solas and Lavellan, two lovers on opposite sides of the battlefield.<br/>(The gender of the Inquisitor is remained ambiguous. This was written to be a chaste romance.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lavellan and Solas: Lovers At War

Solas is a master at underground warfare, and his spies are planted everywhere. Despite all combative efforts, Solas’s agents infiltrate Lavellan’s forces, mixed and hidden amongst the rank and file. They disguise themselves as soldiers, guards, servants, and messengers. Anything to escape the common eye. They observe everything with eager eyes and ears, taking in every bit of information to relay back to their general.

Lavellan concludes yet another confidential war meeting. As they exit the room, they stop in the tracks, turn, and casually toss a package of wrapped Orlesian frilly cakes into the arms of an ordinary-looking chamber maid who was sweeping outside the door. “You can tell The Dread Wolf that he shouldn’t believe everything he hears,” they smirk. “And to try the chocolate ones. Ganache with scotch bonnet peppers.”

—

If there’s one thing that Lavellan has Solas outskilled, it’s charisma. Lavellan can charm the court into putty within their hands. They can spin and twist any tale into a rallying cry for political support. They can weave any publicity into a favorable light. No elf has ever been so widely beloved by humans. Lavellan quickly gathered a faithful following on words alone, something Fen’Harel has never been able to do.

But one day, a court publicist interrupts Lavellan’s speech with a disfavorable tone. “Inquisitor, we appreciate your enthusiasm, but you understand our hesitations under these new revelations,” and they pull out a paper list. 

“As said by an anonymous source, you’ve been known to cheat traders, especially when it comes to human stockholders. You waste your organization’s valuable money on personal pleasures such as bubble baths and wooly socks. You give your servants extra work by eating midnight snacks, and,” they paused, squinting at the paper. “You kick in your sleep and looked better in the red shirt.” Lavellan is rendered speechless, glaring at an imaginary smirking Solas.

—

On Heart’s Day, Lavellan is delivered a bottle of expensive wine by a mysterious elven courier, along with a letter that simply stated _vhenan_  in a clean script. Lavellan’s agents immediately had the wine tested for poison, and found it laced with a fatal dose of hemlock. Lavellan’s companions were outraged at the Valentine’s assassination attempt, but Lavellan simply laughed. “He knew that I was never fall for such a thing. More likely, this is Solas poking fun at our … unique relationship.”

That night, Lavellan dreamt themselves in a beautiful valley of blue crystal formations, groves of white roses, and a star-filled sky. Solas’ _actual_  Heart’s Day gift. Lavellan wandered the gorgeous dreamland, enjoying the midnight peace. Although they couldn’t catch a glimpse of the white wolf, Lavellan knew that Solas was watching nearby - as close as they could ever be aside from meeting as enemies on the battlefield.

—

Solas gathers his forward army and treks out to a scouted location. It was an old Fereldan battlement, abandoned after the Blight, but with some effort Solas’ forces could have it in quality shape. It would be a valuable strategic position, and it would give Solas a peg-up against Lavellan. With luck, these battlements could turn the tide in his favor.

Suddenly, a scout arrives and reports a weak link in Lavellan’s line of defense. “From the battlement, we could strike a devastating blow. Perhaps even win the war.” His forces chitter amongst themselves in excitement at the good news. Solas’ advisors, wise and skeptical, propose the possibility of a trap. Solas shakes his head solemnly. It’s neither a trap or a mistake, because his vhenan is too clever for either.

The folly of two lovers being in a battle to the death, but not actually ending their relationship, makes the killing blow that much harder to strike. Lavellan is testing him – leaving themselves open to see what Solas would do. If he takes the bait, he’ll win the war. And loose so much more.

Solas orders his forces to burn down the battlements and abandon the area. A checkmate can wait. The match itself holds more promises.

—

Compassion slips from the Fade and into Lavellan’s office. “The Dread Wolf says that your efforts are appreciated, but it’ll take more than rice paper wrapped over the entrance of an Eluvian in order to abandon plans centuries in the making,” he relays. “He also says that it wasn’t all that funny, nearly suffocating him in an Eluvian’s entrance in front of his top ranked generals.”

Lavellan chuckles and responds; “then you can tell The Dread Wolf that his plans are even more fallible than that rice paper, and that pride won’t salvage them.” Compassion pops out of existence, and returns later again with another response. “He says, I know, but that doesn’t mean your hammerheaded tactics could stop me.”

“Tell him, damn my tactics, he’ll be more likely to blow up another valley, lose his powers again, then fall heads over heels for the next Dalish elf patient enough to indulge in his academia.”

A pop. Then another. “He says, I would never fall for any other. The former I keep no promises.”

“Tell him, then if you wish to hold good to the latter, drop these plans of yours already and surrender.” A pause. “Because I miss you very much and I’m waiting for you to come home.”

A pop. And this time, Compassion doesn’t return.

\---

It was the calm before the storm. The night before the ambush. Both forces were fully armed and armored. Tomorrow at dawn, Lavellan’s army would initiate their invasion against Solas’ last line of defense. The People’s Keeper, protecting the world against The Dread Wolf one last time.

But tonight, Lavellan lingers alone at the edge of a pond, gazing at the night sky. Steps are heard behind them, and Solas appears at their side. Both wear no armor. Both are unarmed. It’s almost as if Solas had never left Lavellan, way back at Crestwood.

“I’d had thought that the next time I’d see you, it’s be as an enemy,” Lavellan remarks casually.

“As did I. And yet here we are.” Solas replied.

The two stand in silence for a while, a near sliver apart from the other, like the lovers they are. Without any armor, Lavellan can feel the heat of Solas’ body through the thin weave of his jumper. They resist the urge to embrace him, and instead skips a stone across the pond.

Both watch as Lavellan’s stone dances above the water. Solas grabs a stone and attempts a throw. His stone bounces once before sinking below the surface, in contrast to Lavellan’s five bounces.

Lavellan grins at Solas. “You need a bit more practice with skipping stones.”

“If you think I’ve time to practice the delicate art of skipping flat rocks upon still water, then you must think me a bad strategist indeed.”

“Oh, is that not the case? Considering that my army has yours cornered, and your forces decimated, I’d say that you’ve spent plenty of time practicing skipping rocks.” And with that, Solas laughs. “Ah, there’s a smile. I’ve forgotten how much I’ve missed those.”

Solas’ eyes are sorrowful as he turns to look at his beloved. “You’ve certainly have me cornered. A wolf in a hunter’s pit.” He bends down to gather rocks. “My spies have been fished one by one. My agents discovered and abolished. Every attack I’ve struck, quickly counterattacked or diverted. Your every movement against me was purposeful and effective. I’d say that I was impressed, but you already know that.”

“I do,” Lavellan said. Solas straightens, revealing that he had made two small rock piles upon the pond’s shore.

_Gravestones_ , Lavellan realized. One for each of them.

“There’s so much of me that you don’t know, vhenan.” Solas said softly. “You know the worst of it, but you don’t know … the little things. The life I had. What world I came from, and what I lost upon waking up. There’s so much - so much we could have – have been. If we weren’t who we were.

During one recent battle, I was pinned by five different soldiers and taking heavy magefire. My right cover had been blown to pieces, and the rain wasn’t making things any easier. My leg had taken a sword, and my wrist was sprained. I hadn’t slept for two days. And do you know what was going through my mind the whole time? Those nights we had back in Skyhold, after you escaped from the War Table and found me again. We’d hold each other on your balcony, wrapped in a bear fur, watching the stars.

I had to think of you as an enemy. From the instant the Breach appeared in the sky, anyone who could feasibly disrupt my goals was an opponent. As luck would have it, the person with the greatest capacity to ruin my plans also becomes the closest to my heart. I’ve always had a soft spot for ironic humor.

_You’re_ what I want, vhenan. Not Arlathan. Not the time of the ancient elves.” Solas looked deep into Lavellan’s eyes, each word weighed with his deep regret. “With every reminder you sent of your love for me, I could feel my resolve slip bit by bit. But you are too late. You always were.”

“I wouldn’t march my army onto your doorstep if I thought that you’ve changed your mind,” said Lavellan. “But I still haven’t given up on you. Not even now.”

Solas gave a scathing look. “Sometimes I question your judgment.”

“More like you question your own judgment.” Lavellan leaned in and gave a sweet kiss. “A battle can many things. It could be two armies clashing on the battlefield. Or it could be me, trying to change a lost man’s heart, standing next to the gravestones of what our relationship could have been.”

Solas wrapped his arms around Lavellan, who rested their head on his shoulder. The two stayed in each other’s arms as the dawn of the battle drew closer and closer. Fen’Harel, instigator of elven calamity, had fallen in love with a Dalish Herald. A story out of legend.

_Even though it all went wrong, and now we’ve to end it all, I wouldn’t trade what we had for anything_ , Solas muttered in elven. And upon hearing that familiar rhythm, Lavellan let the tears fall. 

The stone pile graves remained, even after the world was forever changed.


End file.
